All the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960. "I'm a freak for that kind of stuff," he says. He was accused of making false financial statements for loans he used to invest in his citrus business, to purchase luxury cars and to buy a beach condo. He wants Trafficante, whom he considers to have an authoritative palate, to sample a new pastry that Alessi plans to sell at his bakery. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. [14] He stated that he was concerned for his safety and was not certain that he had ever correctly heard or understood Trafficante's comment. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Trafficante Sr. passed away four years later, leaving Jr. his Tampa and Cuba-based criminal empire. Born in Tampa, Florida to Sicilian parents Mafia don Santo Trafficante, Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore. "Banks are my greatest enemy. The beachfront properties were the site of many parties and barbecues. Santo was known to have been deeply involved in the CIA efforts to involve the underworld in assassination attempts on Fidel Castro. "Sam Gold" was Sam Giancana; "Joe" was Trafficante. He allegedly controlled organized crime operations in Florida and Cuba The gunmen drove off, unaware they had failed to kill Trafficante, merely grazing his arm. By December 1953, one more rival was dead and another was too scared to even venture out of his home. Upon his return to the United States, he became determined to bring down the man who ended his empire. Please enter your email and password to sign in. But then came Key Bank, a massive drug-money-laundering investigation. After a violent mob war left several of Trafficantes rivals dead or weakened, his gang rapidly rose to prominence in Tampa. Learn more about managing a memorial . [14], The HSCA had previously quoted Aleman as stating that he thought Trafficante's use of the phrase "he is going to be hit" meant that the mob boss knew Kennedy was going to be killed. Fine food, and lots of it. Let others know about your loved one's death. That horse won $161,080 for its new owners, according to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Indeed, a wiretapped conversation picked up a Key Bank official calling Trafficante a "sacred cow," with loans in excess of a million dollars. And all this occurred throughout seven Sylvia at age 12 and her father Jimmy Velasco in California, June 1948 Jimmy Velasco was a political fixer. Our prayers are with you. When you think of Florida and organized crime, it is difficult to avoid conjuring up images of Tony Montana in. Add to your scrapbook. His wife also was named in the fraud charges. Although a judge dismissed the charge for lack of evidence, the arrest had a lasting impact on another of Trafficante's ventures: thoroughbred breeding and racing. (November 15, 1914 - March 17, 1987 ). In the mid-2000s, he would say he was a legitimate businessman, citing, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo - De Facto Boss of the Chicago Outfit, Giacomo Black Jack Tocco - Last of the Old School Detroit Partnership, Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob, John "Sonny" Franzese - A Colombo Family Legend. TAMPA The daughter sits on the front porch of a little bungalow in Seminole Heights, her new home since her husband died a few months ago down south. Zeng8r/Wikimedia Common A set of bolita balls. Thanks for subscribing! With that act, Santo Trafficante now reigned supreme in Tampa. So, at his attorney Ralph Fernandez's urging, he has agreed to talk publicly, hoping to shore up his damaged reputation. The people of Tampa, especially the ones still around to remember those days still feel a duty of sorts to keep quite of these things, as if these people are still amongst us and can hear our chatter. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Now he owns a 210-acre orange grove in southern Hillsborough. My thoughts and prayers are with you all! The CIA came to Trafficante, and asked for his help in enlisting the Mafia to assassinate the Cuban leader. She was a wonderful cook, and she loved to crochet and travel with her husband, but she lived her life for her family. After the death of his wife, the Trafficante family sold their Tampa 1970-built home for $950,000. "I still don't think I did anything wrong," Trafficante says. Trafficante enjoyed life in Cuba, developed a relationship with its strongman, the dictator Fulgencio Batista, and helped the Trafficante Crime family garner even more profits from its legitimate gambling operations there. But he was also the most powerful crime boss in pre-Castro Cuba, with influence that extended into Florida and the rest of the United States. Weve updated the security on the site. Santo Trafficante Jr. (November 15, 1914 March 17, 1987) was among the most powerful Mafia bosses in the United States. Trafficantes father was the lucky survivor of what was called the Era of Blood, when rival gangs based in Tampa fought for control of Prohibition-era nightclubs and, crucially, the local numbers rackets called bolitas. Battling Mob rivals in South Florida essentially weakened each other financially and, through murder, the number of available soldiers. Santo Trafficante Jr., one of the last of the old-time reputed Mafia dons, who was reportedly enlisted in 1960 in a futile effort to kill Fidel Castro, has died at the age of 72. Following his death, Mobster Vincent LoScalvo took over the Trafficante familys criminal network in Florida. The authorities continued to charge him with participating in illegal activities, but the aging mob boss escaped conviction each time. The other guys are two doctors, who say they'll testify if they're summoned to court. Pupello determined that his diabetic patient's arteries were healthy. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Nicknames: The Silent Don The international narcotics trade was also an important topic on the Apalachin agenda. He died on March 17, 1987. He was known as an organized crimes figure. A few months later, two members of that group took the train to New York City to drum up support for a move against Santo. In October 1966, while waiting in a Queens courthouse for his turn to be questioned by a grand jury about the infamous LaStella meeting (later dubbed "Little Apalachin") held a couple of weeks earlier on September 22, Santo Trafficante Jr., who was the boss of the Tampa Bay Crime Family, overheard reporters talking about someone . In 1959, the Cuban Revolution toppled the corrupt Batista government and the rebel leader, Fidel Castro, nationalized foreign-owned properties and shuttered the casinos, a huge financial blow to Trafficante, who was second only to Meyer Lansky in the depth of his investments in Havana. More troubling for Trafficante was a court document that listed him for the first time as "a member of the Trafficante crime family.". "[12], In 1978, both Trafficante and Aleman were called to testify before members of the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations investigating possible links between Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and anti-Castro Cubans, including the theory that Castro had Kennedy killed in retaliation for the CIA's attempts on his own life. After the Kennedy hubbub, Trafficante kept a low profile or, lower that is. I can answer any questions you . Other Mafia leaders, as well as newer organized crime networks, took over many of the rackets the family ran throughout the 20th Century. At 7:25 p.m. on January 3, 1953, Florida Mafia boss Santo Trafficante Jr. had just finished dinner with his wife and children at his father-in-laws house in the Ybor City section of Tampa, Florida. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. For the last 20 years, everyone knew her as JuJu. the daughter of immigrants from the Italian region of Basilicata. "But then you get into alias this and alias that and when they get you in court, you probably just create more problems," he says. Trafficante along with 56 other mobsters was arrested in New York while discussing what to do about the recent death of Gambino family head, Albert Anastasia. However, while the Latin American drug trade has figured prominently in the sunshine states less savory history, so has the Mafia. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Castellana, Malio Iavarone, FrankCookie Fava, Antonino Marchese, Derek Iavarone, Frank Albano, Drew Smith, Joey Hunt, Michael Sierra, Tony Marchese, Peter Albano, Mario Pullara, Frank Miranda, Dino Trafficante, and Joseph Trafficante. He is currently working on his seventh book, The Jersey Mob., Feedback or questions? I thought you might like to see a memorial for Santo Trafficante Jr. One of the last surviving mobsters from the Luciano era, he died of heart disease in a Houston, Texas, hospital in 1987. He dropped out of high school and spent time in New York learning the trade from some of the countries toughest mobsters. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The Trafficante Family Under Santo Junior . Hey, they have more convicts at the track than straight people," Trafficante says. A native and lifelong resident of Tampa, Mr. Traffi-cante is survived by his loving family, wife, Geraldine "Gerry" L. Trafficante; sons, Dino Jose and Joseph Frank Trafficante; daughters,. Harris & Ewing/Library of Commons/Wikimedia CommonsCuban leader Fulgencio Batista in Washington, D.C. in 1938. The IRS was unsuccessful, according to Fernandez, Trafficante's attorney. While the senior Trafficante had been a major mobster in his own right, nobody could have expected the heights that were going to be reached by his son. Wife : Josephine MARCHESE (Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. married Josephine in Tampa, Florida on April 17, 1938). But he was also the most powerful crime boss in pre-Castro Cuba, with influence that extended into Florida and the rest of the United States. He moved to Cuba in 1955 where he met the countrys authoritarian ruler Fulgencio Batista. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. 0 cemeteries found in Ybor City, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. According to the account of Judith Exner, however, one of JFKs many mistresses, it was she who introduced Kennedy to Chicago boss Giancana. The wiretap evidence has been thrown out of court. They never returned. During a recent trip to Lake Tahoe he bought two basketballs autographed by Michael Jordan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Trafficante_Jr. His luck has not improved recently. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter. Still, he lives comfortably enough to give his sons Jaguar sports cars, red for Dino and white for Joseph. Like many of the most prominent mobsters of the 20th century, his father, Santo Trafficante Sr., grew up in Sicily, Italy but became a major player in the criminal world after migrating to America. One small gang, led by Italian immigrant Santo Trafficante Senior, profited from the illegal lottery-style games they ran across Tampa. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Like Trafficante Jr. before him, had many close calls with law enforcement, but always escaped serious charges. Mrs. Gerry, Gina, Dino, Joe and Marisa - they broke the mold with Traff. based on information from your browser. [13] Trafficante said that he introduced the trio to Cuban exiles in Florida. Buy the time LoScalzo took over in 1987, the Trafficante Crime Family was far past its heyday. "They'll sleep under trees on you.". He has been featured on the History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, AHC, Oxygen Network and many local and national news shows. Trafficante weathered the violence of Floridas Mob wars and the various conspiracy theories, the Cuban Revolution and the loss of his offshore casinos, as well as intense law enforcement scrutiny, without ever spending time in prison. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. He wears tasselled leather loafers without socks. Whether or not a Mafia conspiracy was behind the assassination of Kennedy is still up for debate. He was married to his wife for 49 years. At Boxer Cycle Works. He had a big heart and will be missed. [15][16] He stated he was chosen by Hoffa because, as both Hoffa and Trafficante's lawyer, he could be assured of attorneyclient privilege. Finally, after the infamous failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, the CIA gave up on their attempts to kill the Cuban dictator and thus Trafficantes attempts at revenge never materialized. In January 1963, he married Geraldine Valenti, the daughter of J.C. Valenti, who owned a thriving produce business. Year should not be greater than current year. But according to declassified documents released in 1992, Santo Trafficante Jr. made a deathbed confession of his involvement in the Presidents murder. At this point in our collective history, we're not sure anyone would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, something called The Mafia. What you might be surprised to learn, however, is how prevalent-even rampantorganized crime in Tampa was in the early and mid-20th century. His positioning in Florida was prime for drug shipping as the product often passed through these ports en route to elsewhere in America. Salcines was observed at the properties the weekend of June 9, 1967. Passing before her were her parents Antonino and Sarafina Marchese; her beloved husband Santo Trafficante Jr.; her son-in-law's Augie Paniello and Richard Valdes; and her brothers, Bennie Marchese, Tommy Marchese, and Peter Marchese. "They wouldn't even let me go to the track. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53540265/santo-trafficante. We are one of them! Trafficante again escaped conviction. He even sent his son, Santo Trafficante Junior, to New York, to gain a better understanding of how the mafia operated there. While shouldering the legacy of his father and. [4] All were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years. By Santo III's own estimation, this was a wise move. Trafficante was born in Tampa, Florida, to Sicilian parents Santo Trafficante Sr. and his wife Maria Giuseppa Cacciatore in 1914. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Mobster dies, two nations. Please check your entries and try again. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Father of Private and Private He owned and operated some of the most lavish casinos in pre-Castro Cuba. [13], On January 14, 1992, Trafficante's former attorney, Frank Ragano, told Jack Newfield of the New York Post that he relayed a request from Hoffa to Trafficante and New Orleans boss Carlos Marcello to have Kennedy killed. Santo Trafficante 5 10 (1.78 m) Born November 15, 1914 Tampa, Florida, USA Died March 17, 1987 Spouse Josephine Marchese April 17, 1938 - March 17, 1987 (his death, 2 children) Publicity listings 2 Portrayals Did you know Edit Trivia Represented by Frank Ragano. GREAT NEWS! He flew to Houston on March 15 for heart bypass surgery. Consequently, while generally recognized as the most powerful organized crime figure in Florida throughout much of the 20th century, Trafficante was not believed to have total control over Miami, Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, or Palm Beach. But the mobster tag has outlasted the case itself. Visitation will take place on Saturday, May 16th, from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, with service to follow at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL. All the while, he lives in a palatial lakeside compound in rural northwest Hillsborough. A A. Trafficante was arrested on a bookmaking conspiracy charge. And the Trafficante Crime family found out that it had an unusual ally in their concerns about Castro: the Central, Trafficante Jr. controlled his Tampa-based crime network for over three decades. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Daughters: Mary Josephine Sarah Ann Brothers: Frank, Salvatore (Sam), Epifanio and Enrico (Henry) Uncle: Joseph M. CACCIATORE (convicted narcotic trafficker) CRIMINAL HISTORY: Desr Gerry, please know that I am thinking of you and never forget the kindness bestowed on me in my difficult time but especially the generosity and affection shown to my daughter and grandson. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. The Trafficante family formed a strong alliance with the Batista government in Cuba and profited from their investments, although they never achieved the goal of dominating gambling on the island. Family members linked to this person will appear here. They lived in modest, ranch-style houses in quiet neighborhoods in Tampa and Miami. Please reset your password. He was a well-respected boss, even among the far larger New York crime families. [12] According to Aleman, when he told Trafficante that President John F. Kennedy would likely be re-elected, Trafficante replied, "No, Jose, he is going to be hit. It was all on the up and up. Drag images here or select from your computer for Santo Trafficante Jr. memorial. Many fond memories of Santo will continue with me. Failed to report flower. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. A Hillsborough judge threw out the wiretaps, the spine of the state's case. "My wife's got money. He attended the University of Florida for a year, then transferred to the University of Tampa and left without completing his degree. Trafficante admitted his anti-Castro activities to the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978, and vehemently denied allegations that he had knowledge of a plot to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. "[12] Aleman claimed to have reported Trafficante's comments to his FBI contacts, who "dismissed the Kennedy warnings as gangland braggadocio. [2] Trafficante Jr. would frequently meet with Lucchese in New York City for dinner.[2]. After Cuban revolution, the Mafia saw Castro as a threat to their business. As such, Trafficante Sr. controlled gambling rackets for bolita, a lottery game popular in Florida and Cuba, until 1940 when the murder of Tampa boss Ignacio Antinori pushed the Trafficantes to assume ultimate power in the Florida underworld. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. There was a problem getting your location. Trafficante would be charged with bank fraud, perjury and disclosure of criminal investigation. Claiming association with the CIA, Roselli knew of Trafficantes vendetta and told his new pal that the U.S. government also wanted to take down Castros Communist regime. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. So, as the popular theory goes, the mob bosses that lent a helping hand in getting Kennedy into office wanted revenge. Afterwards, the son he had groomed to take his place, Santo Trafficante Jr., took the reins of the Trafficante crime family. To add further credence to this theory of JFKs assassination, famed prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (who also wrote the infamous true crime novel on the Manson Family, Helter Skelter), who penned Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, quoted a witness who said that New Orleans boss Marcello had quipped: The dog [JFK] will keep biting you if you only cut off its tail [RFK]., The final piece of evidence for the theory that Santo Trafficante was involved in JFKs assassination was a witness who reported that the mobster had once said himself that JFK not going to make it to the [1964] election. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. His son, Santo Trafficante Jr., took over the crime family and became tangled in a web of conspiracies to kill the leader of revolutionary Cuba and, it is rumored, President John F. Kennedy. Husband of Private Though his prison sentence wasnt long and he returned to a strong position in Florida, Trafficante never forgave Castro. You've got to be a fool to marry wrong," he says. Federal investigators brought racketeering and conspiracy charges against him in the summer of 1986. However, LoScalzo was nonetheless able to expand the families criminal reach into new locations across Florida, and took advantage of alliances with other Mafia families to ensure the mob maintained its hold on criminal activities. Resend Activation Email. Trafficante was jailed and deported when Fidel Castro rose to power, leading him to spend a good portion of his adult life hatching a plan of revenge. During the 1950s, Trafficante Jr. maintained a narcotic trafficking network with Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Santo Traficante Jr fue uno de los ltimos y mas poderosos capos de la mafia en Florida y Cuba. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Santo Jr.'s daughters still owns 3610, where Santo spent time when he wasn't in Tampa or Miami. She touched all who knew her, and upon meeting her, she would embrace you, and you would instantly become part of the family. The American governments close ties to Santo Trafficante Jr. and the rest of the Mafia didnt end with their attempts to kill Castro. In the meantime, the allegation that he is a mobster has dogged him and his family. While the plot never came to fruition, Trafficante later testified that he did help the CIA recruit other mobsters for the surreal plot. And despite relatively small time beginnings, Trafficante proved to be a shrewd mobster. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. However, by the late 1920s, facing little pressure, Sicilian gangsters began setting up lucrative gambling and narcotics rackets.
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